| Virtual Private Networks claim to solve | | | | are three aspects most discussed with respect |
| majority of the security problems faced by | | | | to a VPN technology. Protecting the Privacy |
| the enterprises. Most of the issues were | | | | of information requires some sort of |
| related to secure data transfer over the | | | | encryption. Private Key encryption and Public |
| public internet. The internets greatest | | | | Key encryption methods are the most common |
| asset is ubiquity and openness but this is | | | | methods available presently. Private key |
| its greatest weakness as well. VPN seems to | | | | encryption is a bit problematic as the key |
| have been a solution to the weakness. | | | | has to be sent over the internet. Public key |
| | | | systems provide communication between |
| Many technologies have come up and claim to | | | | unsecured systems and even provide means to |
| be VPN technologies: SSL VPN, MPLS VPN to | | | | exchange of private keys. The disadvantage of |
| name some. Some basic questions are how do we | | | | a public key encryption system is that it |
| define VPN ? Why do we need a VPN and what | | | | requires more computation. A balance between |
| are the technologies used in deploying VPN? | | | | the two is the best solution. The DES secret |
| | | | key algorithm and Diffie-Hellman public key |
| Organizations in the past deployed private | | | | algorithm can be used in conjunction. The DES |
| networks like LAN or WAN for their mission | | | | can be used to encrypt the traffic and the |
| critical applications. A performance | | | | Diffie-Hellman to produce the secret key. |
| predictable and secure infrastructure was the | | | | |
| end result. A growing number of businesses | | | | Information should not be altered during the |
| cannot afford setting up a private network | | | | transit over the internet. Integrity is |
| and existing networks had to reach out to | | | | ensured using one-way hash function or |
| customers to gain a market edge. This is the | | | | Message authentication codes (MAC) or even |
| area where the internet scores its points. | | | | digital signatures. |
| Networking basics still present a few | | | | |
| bottlenecks. Bandwidth constraints, security | | | | Authentication is ensuring the identity of |
| problems due to increased exposure, threats | | | | the opposite party in a communication |
| like spoofing, session hijacking, sniffing | | | | process. Password protection or digital |
| and man-in-the-middle attacks have exposed | | | | signatures (X.509 standard) are an ideal |
| data in transit. | | | | method. The process is a complex system of |
| | | | key generation, certification, revocation and |
| Considering business factors and the risk | | | | management. All this is a part of a PKI: |
| factors and it may frighten you. A new | | | | public key infrastructure. |
| technology has brought the risks down for | | | | |
| data transit on the internet. Virtual Private | | | | Protocols |
| Networks as it is called follows encryption | | | | |
| and tunneling for the secure transfer of data | | | | Separate technologies can be used to provide |
| between two ends. It extends trust | | | | confidentiality integrity and authentication. |
| relationships across the cheaper public | | | | Three widely used VPN security protocols are. |
| network. Security and predictable | | | | |
| performances are a part of this technology. | | | | - IPSec Protocol |
| | | | |
| Its uses are | | | | - Tunneling protocols (PPTP:Point to Point |
| | | | tunneling protocol, L2TP: Layer2 Tunneling |
| - Remote users and tele-workers connecting to | | | | protocol ) |
| their corporate server securely. | | | | |
| | | | - Socks5 |
| - Linking the offices in an enterprise | | | | |
| network | | | | Services |
| | | | |
| - Organizations making their e-commerce | | | | Many managed VPN services offer Quality of |
| solutions better by extending infrastructure | | | | Service guarantees, which can be an excellent |
| to include partners, suppliers and customers. | | | | choice for site-to-site connectivity. VPN is |
| | | | an end to end communication solution and it |
| Variety of Technologies | | | | cannot effect the performance of the middle |
| | | | network and components. This is the reason |
| VPN technology has been around for quite | | | | for the QoS guarantees which are basically a |
| sometime. Present and future of VPN depend on | | | | marketing gimmick by the ISP. Each ISP has |
| emerging standards that have made it secure | | | | control over its network only and not the |
| and reliable. VPN is deployed and marketed | | | | entire internet which makes the QoS flawed. |
| more every passing day. Some products are | | | | Mission critical performances are still to be |
| emerging standards while the old are for | | | | realized but security has to an extent been |
| specific requirements. Each product and | | | | mitigated. |
| technology has it respective strengths and | | | | |
| weakness. Choosing the technology depends on | | | | Author:vpntools.com, presents a secure |
| how the problems are addressed and what will | | | | alternative to the problems faced on the |
| be the future trends of the present | | | | internet. Networking Basics , Future of |
| technology. Security is the present focus of | | | | VPN, etc ..... are a few of the topics that |
| most VPN technologies. | | | | could interest you. Completer end to end |
| | | | security is achievable and you could find it |
| Confidentiality, Integrity and Authentication | | | | here. |